World War II Veterans

CAF Wings Over Dallas honors and remembers the sacrifices of our World War II Veterans, by providing them free admission. Click here to Register a Veteran to attend the show.Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to meet some of these aviation and military legends at our autograph tent. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet these heroes and hear their stories!

Robert Hanna, Pearl Harbor Survivor
A native of Fort Worth, Robert Hanna joined the Navy in 1940 at age 17. He was assigned to Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay on Oahu. On the morning of December 7th, 1941 he was stirred from his Barracks by the sound of enemy aircraft strafing the base. As Hanna headed for the hangar, the fire truck he was riding on was shot up. Hanna, along with the other sailors – prepared themselves for an anticipated Japanese land invasion, which thankfully did not happen.

Dale Robinson, Pearl Harbor Survivor
Dale Robinson, like many Americans was enjoying a peaceful Sunday morning on December 7th, 1941. The tropical morning was shattered when Robinson spotted enemy aircraft flying low, their tell-tale Red Suns blazing on their wings. Robinson remembers them so low, and so close that he could see their faces as they flew over the quadrangle.

Leland Rex, Pearl Harbor Survivor
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Leland Rex was a communications clerk on Oahu. He was awoken on December 7th by the sound of commotion. Stepping outside, he could see the Japanese aircraft flying over Pearl Harbor. Following the attack, Rex visited for island, bearing witness to the destruction the Japanese had wrought. Rex would continue to serve his country for the next 28 years, on active duty through three wars.

Dick Cole, Last of the Doolittle’s Raiders
A member of the famed Doolittle Raiders, Dick Cole flew as Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot in the lead aircraft, and is the only surviving Raider. Cole attacked the city of Tokyo in the wake of Pearl Harbor, having flown his B-25 Bomber off the USS Hornet. Because there was no way to recover such a large aircraft on the ship, Cole and his crew flew on to China, and bailed out – where they were rescued. Cole went on to serve throughout the war, flying the Hump in the China-Burma-India theater.

Karnig Thomasian
Thomasian was assigned to the 20th Air Force in Chakulia, India, serving as a left side gunner and electrical specialist on board the B-29 Superfortress. On a mission to bomb railyards in Rangoon, Burma Thomasian’s aircraft was flipped upside down by an explosion caused by bombs which collided when they were released. Thomasian bailed out, and was captured by the Japanese – who took him into a prisoner of war camp for the remainder of the war.

Melvin Jacob
A Wisconsin native, 19 year old Melvin Jacob was pulled from the Pacific Ocean on August 4th, 1945 after surviving the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. He had treaded water, and floated without food or drink from almost five days in shark infested waters.

Donald Graves
Entering the United States Marine Corps at age 17, in 1942, Graves served two tours in the south Pacific. On February 19th, 1945 his division hit the beaches on Iwo Jima, and over the next three days, secured Mount Surabachi. Even after the flag was raised on the mountain, there would be five more weeks of tough fighting before the island was in American hands.

Bill Schott
Schott was a 20 year old US Marine when his halftrack carrying a 75mm Howitzer landed on the beaches of Iwo Jima. Without the fire from Howitzers like Schott’s the Marine infantrymen would have taken even heavier casualties on Iwo Jima. Schott was on the island for 32 Days.